Photo credit: Graig Abel

Saturday night, during the Capitals’ 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, future AHL hall-of-famer Keith Aucoin scored his first NHL goal of the season, and his first since October 24, 2009. For those who are counting, that’s 854 days.

“It’s been about two years now, I think, since I last scored a goal,” Aucoin said with a smile to The Washington Times’ Stephen Whyno. “It’s only been 10, 11 games, but it feels like forever, and it was nice to finally get one and help the team win.”

General Manager George McPhee, clearly unimpressed by his feat (or more likely saving cap space ahead of tomorrow’s trade deadline), sent Aucoin back down to Hershey early this morning.

Coiner’s goal was so pretty, it deserves a closer look. Let’s set the scene. After going down 2-0 to the Caps within the first five minutes and then 3-0 by the second period, the Leafs were left scrambling to climb out of a hole. The play starts at 5:13, with the Caps in possession of the puck in their own zone.

Mike Green looks to exit their defensive zone by passing it to Marcus Johansson.

Mojo takes the pass along the boards.

And fumbles it!

Tim Connolly takes the turnover. Ugh.

And looks to wrist a shot past Neuvirth.

Green utilizes the kamikaze dive to force Connolly to deke.

Now Connolly fumbles the puck and it goes to the corner.

Matthew Lombardi retrieves the puck and sends a centering pass to…

Alex Ovechkin!

Go!

Ovi!

Go!

“Hm, looks like my boi Aucoin is guarded.”

“Let’s try pass to Mojo!”

Mojo shoots!

Just kidding!!

Reimer: “Omigosh, my defense isn’t guarding anyone.”

BAM!

“Just how Dale drew it up!”

Reimer: “Kill me now.” Leafs fan at bottom-left corner: “What in the hell was that?”

Aucoin: “So this is what it feels like to score an NHL goal again!”

And that concludes terrible hockey by both teams.

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